Apparatus for controlled dispensing and conditioning of stacked objects



July 26, 1966 F. N. STEPHENS ET AL 3,262,418

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLED DISPENSING AND CONDITIONING OF STACKED OBJECTS Filed Aug. 20, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z as k a? 35 66 (War/6.5 C. KI j y 26, 1966 F. N. STEPHENS ET AL 3,262,418

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLED DISPENSING AND CONDITIONING 0F STACKED OBJECTS Filed Aug. 20, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 "NHL-29 &

INVENTORS. Fred end. M 5727 56173 Char/2s my nrromvevs.

y 1966 F. N. STEPHENS ET AL 3,262,418

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLED DISPENSING AND CONDITIONING OF STACKED OBJECTS Filed Aug. 20, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 f 5 f r ll /2/ i E /74 /ZJ 519/33 1 I i l l l 1 J INVENTORS. Freda/"kl: N. 51170620: Y Char/2S O A46 United States Patent 3,262,418 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLED DISPENSING AND CONDITIONING 0F STACKED OBJECTS Frederick N. Stephens, Leawood, Kama, and Charles C.

Krug, Kansas City, Mo., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Stephens Industries, Inc., Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 217,866 6 Claims. (Cl. 118-1) This invention relates generally to equipment for facilitating the successive individual dispensing of objects from a stack of relatively thin flat objects, and deals more particularly with equipment of this type having a special advantage in the controlled dispensing and conditioning of small card-like tags in such fashion as to permit the rapid manual transfer from the stack for such purposes as attachment to various products and packages.

While the principles and structure of the invention are applicable to a number of widely differing uses, it appears at present that the most important application is in connection with the handling of coded inventory tags in con nection with the operations of large multiple store retail chain stores which deal in a wide variety of products. At least one such company has recently instituted a program requiring that its suppliers apply to each product or package before shipment a coded tag which remains on the product or package until sold. The tag is a rectangularly oblong card-like object having a weakened line of severance intermediate its ends. One portion of the tag is adapted to be secured as by adhesive, stitching or stapling to the product or package; the other bears the coded information, usually in the form of a pattern or perforations. When the product or package is sold, the coded part of the tag is detached by tearing along the line of severance and is processed through information retrieval equipment.

The present invention has for one of its principal objects the provision of apparatus for facilitating the application of such tags or like objects by the supplier, more particularly when the application is to be made manually, as distinguished from automatic machine application. Apparatus according to our invention is especially adapted to facilitate the application of tags where the supplier does not desire to invest in fully automatic equipment. The invention is characterized in part by extreme simplicity in design, accompanied by unique structural features which, taken in combination, permit the rapid individual dispensing of such tags from a stack thereof in ideal position for transfer and application to the item to be tagged.

Another aim of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which includes means for dispensing tags conditioned for ready attachment to the item as they are made available to the operator. In the preferred form of the apparatus, the attaching portion of the tag is conditioned for attachment by applying a deposit of adhesive thereon. This is accompanied by a special controlled positioning of the tag so-th-at it can be manually withdrawn and applied to the item in one smooth motion of the hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which is so arranged as to permit the dispensing and manual application of adhesive conditioned tags at a rapid rate without producing operator fatigue. A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a manually actuated dispenser which requires little hand pressure to operate.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which the dispensing operation can be effected either by manual actuation of the hand lever, or by power "ice means responsive to the withdrawal of a tag. In the latter form, the dispensing is accomplished by a separate power source, preferably electromagnetic, and is controlled by sensing means capable of determining and producing successive dispensing of tags at a rate which is controlled by the operators ability to effect withdrawal and attachment. 1

Other objects of the invention are to provide apparatus of the character described which is ruggedly built for continuous operation with only minor lubrication at periodic intervals; which is capable of handling tags of differing lengths without adjustment; which, in the manually actuated version, requires little hand pressure to effect the dispensing; which can effectively handle adhesives having a wide range of viscosity; which is free from problems such as interference with the dispensing due to excessive adhesive collection at the application zone; and which, when necessary, can be quickly cleaned and restored to satisfactory operating condition.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a dispensing and conditioning machine embodying the features of the invention, part of the sideframe being broken away for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken from the opposite side from that shown in FIG. .1;

FIG. 3A is a plan view of a typical tag;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of such machine;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the shuttle plate;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary front elevational view, the break line in the magazine indicating length and the adhesive valve body being shown partly in section for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view similar to FIG. 4, but of a modified form of the invention in which is embodied a power operated shuttle actuated mechanism;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary front elevational view similar to FIG. 8, but of a modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic showing of the basic components and electrical wiring of the modified form.

Referring to the drawings and initially to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8, inclusive, the machine therein shown is designed to handle tags 20 having generally the construction shown in FIG. 3A. The tag is of elongate rectangular outline and is divided into two main portions 20a and 20b by a a weakened line of severance 200. The portion 20a is ordinarily that which will subsequently be attached to the goods, while the portion 20-h carries a pattern of perforations and other indicia useful in the utilization of such portion in inventory control and accounting operations. Normally, such tags are applied to the object, utilizing the portion 20a as the attaching portion (it may either be glued or stitched or stapled to the object) leaving the portion 20b free to be torn therefrom at the time of sale. The portion 20b also is normally provided with spaced notches 20d in the side edges.

The tags 20 are carried in our machine in the form of a stack S which is located within an upright magazine 21. The magazine is generally U-shaped in cross section, having the back wall 21a, opposed side walls 21b, 21c, and the inturned opposed front flanges 21d, 21e. The internal dimensions of the magazine are such as to loosely confine the stack while permitting it to settle in the magazine as tags are successively dispensed from the bottom of the stack. To assist in maintaining the tags in alignment in the magazine, a guide wire 21 can be disposed along the back wall, this wire forming a rib registering with the notch d closest to the weakened line of severance 260. The flange 21d is provided at its lower end with a cutout 22 which extends into the side wall 21b; A similar but considerably smaller corner cutout 23 is provided at the lower end of flange 21c and its associated side wall 21c. More will be said of these later.

The magazine 21 is carried and supported in the inclined position shown in FIG. 1 between two side frame members 24, 25. These may be cut or stamped from sheet metal. The forward portions 24a, 25a of the side members are parallel, as are the rearward portions 24b, 25b, the two portions in each side member being joined by an offset section 240, 25c. Spaced outturned tabs 24d, 25d are preferably formed on the lower edges of the respective side members, and these have connected therewith in conventional fashion rubber-like support cups or feet 26 which are adapted to rest on a support surface such as a table or workbench. The rearward edges of the side members are flanged outwardly to provide coplanar extensions 24e, 25:: which may be apertured as at 28 (FIG. 2) to provide a means of alternatively mounting the unit on a vertical surface, for example, a wall.

Extending between side members 24, 25, and disposed substantially normal to the magazine 21, is a generally T- shaped plate-like member 29. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the opposite lateral extensions 29a, 29b forming the head of the T are secured to the insides of the rearward portions 24b, 25b of the respective side members, as by bolts 30 which extend through appropriate apertures in the side members and into suitably tapped apertures in the extensions. Similar bolts 31 join the forward portion of the T-shaped member 29 with the forward portions 24a, 25a of the side members.

The forward end of member 29 underlies the tag stack S and provides support for the stack, the bottom-most tag resting thereon. As best seen in FIG. 4, such forward end comprises a forward extension 290 of reduced width provided with the U-shaped notch 32 on the forward edge.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, slidably supported on the upper surface of member 29 adjacent to the rear of the magazine 21 is a thin shuttle plate 33 which is guided for reciprocatory movement toward and through stack S and back again. The shuttle plate moves through an appropriate slot 34 in the back wall 21a of the magazine. The front flanges 21d, 21c terminate at their lower ends just above the surface of the forward extension 29c, providing just enough clearance that the bottom-most tag can be ejected from the stack, as shown at 20' in FIGS. 1 and 2. The shuttle plate has a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the tag.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the shuttle 33 is confined for linear reciprocating movement by a pair of guide plates 35 which are secured to and spaced slightly above the top of the member 29 behind the magazine. The plates 35 are spaced above the surface of member 29 by shims or spacers 36 (FIG. 6), the spacers being of less width than plates 35 to provide confronting grooves or tracks in which the opposed edges of the shuttle are slidably confined. The guide plates and shims are secured to member 29 by bolts 37 near the opposite ends thereof.

Reciprocating movement is imparted to shuttle 33 by means of an elongate shaft 38 disposed on the underside of member 29 and extending lengthwise thereof. The shaft is connected with the shuttle by means of an upright pin 39 at the forward end of the shaft which extends upwardly through an elongate slot 40 in the member 29 and into an aperture 33a in the shuttle. The shaft is confined for longitudinal reciprocation in a groove 29d formed on the underside of member 29.

To actuate shaft 33 there is provided the hand lever, generally designated 41, which is pivoted to the underside of member 29 at 42 and which has the gear sector 43 at one end. The latter meshes with a spur gear 44 mounted on a common shaft with a second spur gear 45 (FIG. 5), the latter of which meshes with the rack teeth 46 formed on the rearward end of shaft 38.

The pivotal mounting of hand lever 41 is made by means of an enlarged hub 47 which is rotatably carried on the pin 42 with a suitable low friction hearing. The gear 44 is secured to a shaft 48, the upper end of which is journaled in a suitable aperture in member 29, as at 49 (FIG. 5), and the lower end journaled in an aligned bearing boss 50a in a generally U-shaped bracket 50 bolted or otherwise secured to the member 29 as at 51. Shaft 48 also carries the spur gear 45.

As seen in the drawings, in the illustrated embodiment the hand lever 41 includes the generally arcuate handengageable portion 52 which is formed separately from the main body of the lever and joined thereto by fasteners 53.

The portion 52 is normally so disposed that it lies below and to one side of the magazine 20 and protrudes ahead of the machine. In this position and as shaped, it can easily be engaged by the back of the hand of an operator or the back or outer side of the second finger, and shifted in the direction of the arrow P of FIG. 2, leaving the thumb and forefinger free to grasp the tag 20' as it is pushed from the stack. As best seen in FIG. 4, the lever 41 is resiliently biased toward the normal position by the tension spring 54, one end of which is connected with one of a series of spaced adjustment apertures 55 in the lever, and the other with the side 25 of the frame.

The delivery of the bottom-most tag 20 to the 20' position, i.e., in the cocked or canted orientation illustrated, is a highly important feature of the invention. This is accomplished in the preferred embodiment by providing the leading edge of the shuttle 33 with the relieved edge configuration shown in detail in FIG. 7. The dimension a is approximately /6 of the width of the shuttle and it is relieved approximately 1 from a line parallel with the edge of the tag or back wall of the magazine. The angle of the edge from the break y at ab is approximately 8 to 9. This provides an arrangement wherein the tag is initially shifted and pushed at its far end by the portion a of the edge, the angle being small enough that no digging into the card by the point x occurs, following which the tag pivots again to bring it edge generally into alignment with and abutment against edge portion b. It is the edge portion b which largely determines the final angle of the tag at the completion of the dispensing stroke.

It is important to note that the shuttle 33 and its associated operating means are so constructed that when the shuttle has reached its outer limit of movement, a corner portion of the tag still remains under the stack S. The main body of the tag has been cleared to permit it to be grasped, but until grasped and drawn free, the tag will remain in the position shown at 20 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention also includes means for depositing on the underside of the portion 20a of the tag a quantity of liquid adhesive in conjunction with the dispensing operation. This means includes as its main element the valve and adhesive applicator block 56 which is supported generally beneath the magazine 21 to one side of the extension 290. This block is preferably constructed of Delvin or other synthetic material, or non-corrosive metal, having resistance to adhesion with the liquid adhesive and from which the latter can be readily cleaned.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 8, the block 56 is supported from the frame by a support arm 57 which is secured firmly to the side portion 25a by a threaded pin 58 extending from and secured to said side portion, and which extends through a suitable aperture in the arm. Small pins 59 also extend through small registering apertures in the arm, these preventing pivoting of the arm about pin 58. The arm is clamped to the side of the frame by thumb nut 60 which is threaded on pin 58.

The block itself is secured to the forward arm 57 in much the same fashion, as by screw 61, and locking pin 62.

The block 56 has extending therethrough a flow passageway 56a which terminates at its upper end in a slightly larger adhesive reservoir 56]) whose upper end is open. A needle valve 63 having the operating handle 63a provides a means of varying the flow rate'through the passageway. A tube or pipe 64 is connected through a fitting 65 with the lower end of passageway'56a, the tube leading from an adhesive container 66. The container 66 is preferably in the form of a plastic bottle which is releasably clamped in elevated position relative to the reservoir 56b by means of a spring clamp 67 secured to the rear of magazine 21.

The upper surface of block 56 contains the opening of the reservoir and lies in the same plane with the upper surface of the extension 290 on the member 29 on which the bottom-most tag rests. Thus, the end portion 20a of the bottom-most tag overlies the block and normally seals the adhesive opening so that the adhesive will not flow beyond the reservoir.

In order to inhibit any capillary action should excessive adhesive flow into the magazine area, for example, as might occur due to an ineffective seal between the stack and adhesive applicator, the upper corners of the block 56 around the reservoir opening are relieved downwardly as at 560, this providing an escape path for excessive adhesive away from the magazine and tag stack. It will be observed, particularly from FIGS. 3 and 8, that the block 56 is so supported by its arm 57 that it is free of contact at any point with the walls of magazine 21 and the frame of the machine. It can easily be removed for cleaning by removing vent 60.

To provide a firm and steady downward pressure on the stack S we also provide the weight 68 which can be a block of any suitable material dimensioned so as to loosely fit within the magazine 21 and rest upon the top of the stack. To facilitate manipulation of the weight it is provided with the finger hole 68a and with the direction indicator boss 68b which serves to provide a means of quickly identifying that edge of the weight which is to be placed in contact with the stack.

In the operation of the invention as thus far described, the magazine 21 is charged with a stack of tags, the weight 68 being placed thereon. The valve 63 is open to establish a flow path for the adhesive from container 66 to the top opening of the applicator block.

Dispensing of the tags is accomplished by successive strokes of the hand lever 41. As previously mentioned, most rapid dispensing is accomplished by using the back of the hand or back or outer side of the second finger to displace the portion 52 of the lever across the unit. The thumb and forefinger are thus freed to grasp the protruding portion of the tag as it emerges from the stack. When the pressure on the portion 52 is released, which naturally occurs as the operator draws the protruding tag from the stack and presses it against the object to be tagged, the lever returns to its normal position.

For each cross displacement of lever 41 and its-return,

' shuttle plate 33 is moved into and out of the stack, im-

pelling the lower-most or bottom-most tag to the position illustrated at 20' and returning the shuttle to a position such that it will engage the back edge of the next tag. Since the lower-most tag prior to dispensing hashad its portion 20a overlying the adhesive reservoir, the adhesive is contacted therewith and enough is retained thereon on dispensing and withdrawal as to permit the tag to be se cured to the object by simply pressing the adhesive-bearing surface of the tag against the object. Variation in the quantity of adhesive which will be applied can be effectively controlled through adjustment of the needle valve 63.

We have found that the coded perforations present in tags of the type herein employed to illustrate the principles of the invention tend to prevent the tag from assuming a true parallel orientation in the stack, and that occasionally a tag will be flexed to the extent that the leading corner over block 56 strikes against the inside of magazine flange 21c on dispensing, thus jamming the machine. While the weight 68 assists in some measure in pressing the tag toward parallelism, we have determined that this difliculty is cured by providing the corner cutout 23.

The large cutout 22 provides access to the lower part of the stack on the opposite side, and affords means whereby the stack can be jiggled to settle the tags in the event of temporary separationin the magazine.

While we have shown tags having a length approximately the width of the magazine between walls 21b, 21c, shorter tags can be used and dispensed with equal effectiveness. The rib 21f cooperates with aligned notches 20d in the tags to guide the tags downwardly in proper position for engagement by the shuttle plate and proper dispensing.

Turning now to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, these figures taken together illustrate a modified form of the unit in which the dispensing of the tags is controlled by power means rather than by manual actuation of a dispensing lever. The basic construction of the unit, including the magazine 121, frame sides 124, 125, adhesive valve and applicator block 156, main deck member 129 and its extension 12%, and the shape and general manner of operation of the shuttle 133 is the same as in the preceding embodiment. However, in the modified form, and referring to FIG. 11, the shaft 138 which is connected by pin 139 to the shuttle 133 is powered by a solenoid having the armature 171. The armature has the upwardly extending post 172 which connects with the shaft 138. A tension spring 173, secured at one end as at 174, biases the shaft 138 toward its normal position, the other end of the spring being connected with the upper end of pin 139.

The solenoid is connected into a circuit between power line L1, L2 which include a main power switch 175 and a normally closed microswitch 176 having the arm 177. This arm is pivotally movable from the closed position. This outer or free end is positioned in the plane of the lower-most tag in stack S, but forwardly of the magazine and positioned to be struck and deflected as the lowermost tag is moved by the shuttle plate 133 to the projecting position illustrated in FIG. 11 in broken lines at 1.20.

Further detail as to the location of the operating components may be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10. The solenoid body 170 is secured by bolt 178 to a downwardly depending flange 179 formed along one edge of a mounting plate 180 secure-d to the underside of the main deck member 129 by bolts 137. The armature 1 71 has the post 172 which extends up through plate 180 in an elongate slot (not shown) to connect with shaft 138.

The microswitch 175 is carried by a bracket 181 secured to flange 179 by a bolt 182 and spaced from the flange by a spacer 183. As seen in FIG. 10, the microswitch is so positioned that the actuating arm 177 thereof is oriented generally between the inside edge of the valve block 156 and adjacent outside edge of the extension 1290 on which the stack S rests. The main power switch 175 is carried by a flashing 182 located below the extension 129 and formed as a part of the member 180.

In the operation of the modified form of the invention, when the switch 175 is closed, the solenoid 170 is energized. The solenoid armature is, as a result, displaced forwardly, carrying with it the shaft 138 and shuttle 133. As in the preceding embodiment, the shuttle engages the confronting side edge of the lower-most tag in stack S and pushes it from alignment in the stack to the position 120, which is essentially the position 29' illustrated in connection with the preceding embodiment. As the tag is pushed out of alignment in the stack, its leading edge engages and depresses arm 177 of microswitch 176, thus opening the contact and deenergizing the solenoid. The shuttle 153 will then be returned to its normal position by spring 173, while the tag will be held in the extended or protruding position earlier described. In this connection care must be taken to insure that the resistance of arm 177 to opening of the contact is low enough that the tag will hold the arm depressed by itself when in the extended position. The particular location in which the arm is placed is also of assistance in obtaining the desired effect; the closer the arm is to the relatively stationary end of the tag, the less tendency there will be of the tag to flex when contacting the arm.

When the tag 120' is grasped and pulled free, this releases arm 177, permitting switch 176 to close. Again the solenoid 170 is energized and another tag is moved into position 120. Tags thus will be dispensed successively as fast as the preceding tag is removed, the only action required on the part of the operator being that of grasping and withdrawing the projecting tab.

Adhesive is applied in the manner described in connection with the preceding embodiment to condition the tag for immediate attachment to the object to be tagged.

Whenever it is desired to shut olf the machine, switch 175 is opened. Removal of the tag thus leaves the unit in condition to dispense a tag again when the switch 175 is close. The positioning of the toggle control for switch 175 on the front of the unit makes it easy to accomplish this without excess hand movements and just prior to withdrawing the terminal tag.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

'1. Apparatus for successively dispensing individual elongated rectangular tags from a stack of said tags, said apparatus comprising a magazine for containing said tags in stack form and having an upright fiat back wall, a stationary bottom member located centrally within the lower end of said magazine and having a flat top surface for engagement with the central portion of the endmost .tag to support the stack in the magazine, said magazine providing with said bottom member a side dispensing outlet in substantially the same plane with the lowermost tag and parallel with the long axis of the tag, shuttle means including a fiat, thin shuttle plate on the opposite side of the magazine from said outlet and aligned with said outlet, said plate having an edge surface confronting said stack, means for impelling the plate through an aligned opening in the back wall of the magazine toward and into the stack whereby to engage and displace the endmost tag whereby to cause it to project through said outlet, said edge surface having a portion thereof disposed at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the back wall of the magazine, said edge surface operable to engage the lowermost tag progressively along the length thereof and pivot the tag during its displacement from the stack.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, including adhesive supply means having an outlet disposed adjacent said bottom member and operable to contact adhesive with said endmost tag while it is still in the stack.

3. Apparatus for successively dispensing the endmost object from a stack of like substantially fiat objects comprising a support frame, an upright magazine carried by said frame for containing said stack and having a flat upright back wall, a bottom member at the lower end of the magazine and positioned centrally thereof for contacting the central portion of the endmost object and supporting the stack, said magazine providing with said bottom member a side dispensing outlet adapted to receive therethrough said endmost object as it is pushed laterally with respect to the stack, an actuating member having a hand engageable portion disposed spatially below said outlet and extending in a sidewise direciton away from the lower end of the magazine on the same side as said outlet and swingable about a fixed upright axis, a shuttle plate supported at the opposite side of the magazine from said outlet and aligned with said outlet, and means connecting said plate with said actuating member and operable to impel said plate through an aligned opening in the magazine back wall and into the stack in response to swinging movement of said hand engageable portion whereby to push a substantial portion of said endmost object through said side dispensing outlet, said plate ineluding a leading edge surface confronting said back wall with a portion of said leading edge surface disposed at an acute angle with respect to the plane of said back wall, said edge surface operable to engage said innermost object progressively, thus to pivot it during the pushing of said object through said side dispensing outlet.

4. The combination as in claim 3 including an adhesive reservoir adjacent said support member and having an outlet positioned to contact a portion of the underside of said endmost object with adhesive while it is still in said stack.

5. Apparatus for successively dispensing individual elongated tags from a stack of tags and simultaneously conditioning a portion of the dispensed tags with liquid adhesive, said apparatus comprising an upright tag magazine having end support means with an opening therein providing a fiat support surface for the underside of the elongated tag at the lower end thereof, a source of liquid adhesive, means for communicating adhesive from said source to the opening in said support means whereby to contact adhesive with the lowermost tag in the stack adjacent one end of the tag support surface, and shuttle means operable to push said lowermost tag laterally from the lower end of the stack across said support surface and to pivot the tag about said opening to a position permitting its subsequent manual separation from the stack.

6. Apparatus for successively dispensing individual elongated tags from a stack of tags, said apparatus comprising an upright tag magazine having end support means providing a fiat support surface for the underside of the elongated tag at the lower end thereof, said magazine having a dispensing opening on one side thereof adjacent said surface, a shuttle plate normally disposed outside of and on the opposite side of said magazine from said dispensing opening and aligned with said dispensing opening, said magazine having a shuttle opening for receiving said shuttle plate therethrough, a stationary solenoid having a reciprocable armature, a power source for said solenoid, means connecting said armature with said shuttle plate and operable to reciprocate said shuttle plate through said shuttle opening into and out of said magazine in response to reciprocation of said armature, switch means operable selectively to energize and deenergize said solenoid whereby to reciprocate said armature, switch control means positioned and operable to sense the presence of a tag dispensed from the stack through the dispensing opening and to effect selective operation of the solenoid in response thereto, and adhesive applying means operable to contact adhesive with the successively dispensed lowermost tags during the individual dispensing thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Fischer et al. 221-276 Blaisdell 118-236 X Elliott 118-236 Dombrowski 118236 X Nerim 118-41O Jeddeloh 118-2 36 MORRIS KAPLAN, Primary Examiner.

W tk' 11s 410 i RICHARD D. NEVIUS, Examiner.

Rider 221-22 10 JOHN P. MCINTOSH, Assistant Examiner. Dimitrakis 221 -22 

5. APPARATUS FOR SUCCESSIVELY DISPENSING INDIVIDUAL ELONGATED TAGS FROM A SLACK OF TAGS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CONDITIONING A PORTION OF THE DISPENSED RAGS WITH LIQUID ADHESIVE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT TAG MAGAZINE HAVING END SUPPORT MEANS WITH AN OPENING THEREIN PROVIDING A FLAT SUPPORT SURFACE FOR THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ELONGATED TAG AT THE LOWER END THEREOF, A SOURCE OF LIQUID ADHESIVE, MEANS FOR COMMUNICTING ADHESIVE FROM SAID SOURCE TO THE OPENING IN SAID SUPPORT MEANS WHEREBY TO CONTACT ADHESIVE WITH THE LOWERMOST TAG IN THE STACK ADJACENT ONE END OF THE TAG SUPPORT SURFACES, AND SHUTTLE MEANS OPERABLE TO PUSH SAID LOWERMOST TAG LATERALLY FROM THE LOWER END OF THE STACK ACROSS SAID SUPPORT FACE AND TO PIVOT THE TAG ABOUT SAID OPENING TO A POSITION PERMITTING ITS SUBSEQUENT MANUAL SEPERATION FROM THE STACK. 